Carbon War Room Announces Launch of New Free Ship Operational Efficiency Portal

Carbon War Room, exactEarth, and UMAS have launched the free-to-access BetterFleet on ShippingEfficiency.org.

Carbon War Room (CWR) today announced that it, along with exactEarth and University Maritime Advisory Service (UMAS), have launched a free-to-access ship operational efficiency portal on ShippingEfficiency.org, known as BetterFleet.

"BetterFleet’s free, transparent data will help shippers save money through more efficient operations," said Jules Kortenhorst, CEO, CWR and Rocky Mountain Institute.

BetterFleet enables users to view a vessel's efficiency performance over a 12-month period, providing each vessel with a score out of ten in order to compare it against other similar ships.

The portal, which was announced at the World Ocean Council’s Sustainable Ocean Summit today, is noted to be based on AIS data and similar methods used by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to assess the world fleet.

"BetterFleet illustrates where and how much efficiency varies for ships, in order to identify potential sources of inefficiencies, find opportunities to optimise operations, and reduce costs for everyone," SAID Galen Hon, shipping operation manager.

The portal provides details on a given vessel's operational efficiency through a measurement of grams of CO2 per tonne-mile of freight transport, as well as a world map depicting a given vessel's voyages over the defined time period.

"It will also empower owners to begin conversations with their charterers and shippers about how operations affect the bottom line, carbon emissions, and the environment."

The portal is noted to currently include a large portion of the tanker, bulk carrier, and container ship segment, with more vessel types and sizes expected to be added over time.

CWR notes that the BetterFleet is not meant to replace the information shipowners obtain directly from their vessels, but rather as a way to compare vessels through the "best data of its kind" available publicly.

"As the world responds to the threat of climate change, shipping must find a way to reduce its emissions while still executing its vital function. Optimising how efficiently ships move freight is a crucial first step," said Hon.

"BetterFleet will help users of shipping to understand the impact of their decisions and requirements, and create change that lowers costs and reduces supply chain GHG emissions."

In September, there are no longer any commercial reasons for owners in the time charter market to make their vessels more fuel efficient, as they typically see no financial benefit from doing so, a new study published this week by Researchers from UCL Energy Institute (UCL) and UWR has concluded.